Health Effects of EMFs

Electric and Magnetic Fields

According to researchers, there are no confirmed health risks associated with EMFs. This research stems from the early 1970s and numerous studies on the issue have been conducted.

The major research on EMF and potential health effects is concentrated in the following four areas:

Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the science that attempts to establish patterns, links or association between disease causing agents and diseases in human populations, such as cancer or leukemia. However, the epidemiological evidence for a relationship between exposure to low frequency (60 Hz) EMFs is inconsistent, ranging from weak to non-existent.

Animal Studies

Researchers conduct animal studies to determine if there are any biological effects of EMF on animals, such as causing cancer in rodents. Numerous studies have been performed on animals at a variety of exposure levels over several generations. The data does not support a conclusion that exposure to 60-Hz EMF has an effect on the frequency or pattern of cancer.

Biological Studies

Biological studies are used to detect EMF responses on individual cells or DNA and determine if magnetic fields cause damage to cells. There is no consistent evidence that EMF exposure damages either cells or DNA. Generally, cancer initiation is caused because DNA has been damaged, but the results of EMF exposure to cells and DNA have been negative.

Clinical Studies

Clinical studies test the exposure of human volunteers to EMF levels higher than generally encountered in residential or work environments. Human responses have been detected at extremely high field strengths, but generally do not correlate or show association with health hazards.